Combination refrigerating-heating apparatus with improved coil header structure



June 1951 D. w. RANSDELL ET AL 2,556,104

COMBINATION REFRIGERATING HEATING APPARATUS wn'n IMPROVED con. HEADER STRUCTURE Filed May 2a, 1948 Patented June 5, 1951 OFFICE COMBINATION REFRIGERATING HEAT- ING APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED COIL HEADER STRUCTURE Don W. Ransdcll and Richard T. Ransdell, Brawley, Calif.

Application May 28, 1948', Serial No. 29,756

This invention is a coil. header structure to be used in connection with evaporating apparatus and by the use of which such apparatus may be used either as a condenser or an evaporator or both alternately.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a header structure by the use of which a standard type evaporating apparatus may be efficiently converted to a condenser so that the apparatus may be used either to heat or cool conditioned air for obvious heating and cooling purposes. V

A further and particular object of the inven tion is to provide a coil header which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which may be quickly and easily attached to evaporating apparatus without materially altering the construction of such apparatus for the purposes heretofore set forth.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a standard or conventional type of evaporating apparatus and illustrating the coil header of the invention applied thereto with the valve for controlling the fiow of fluids through the apparatus, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view through one of the headers and showing the detail construction thereof.

Fig. 1 shows in more or less diagrammatical manner, the construction of a standard or familiar type of evaporating apparatus including a casing 5 to enclose the apparatus and divided by suitable partitions so as to include the chambers A, B and C. The lower or bottom chamber C has arranged therein a motor 6 to drive a compressor indicated at I, and this chamber also includes a condensation receiver indicated at 8. Chambers A and B each contain evaporating apparatus having associated therewith the improved coil header so that the evaporating apparatus may be transformed into a condenser when desired. Each chamber is provided with an air inlet 9 near its lower end and an outlet I0 at its upper end.

The delivery side of the compressor I has connected thereto the lower end of a pipe II which connects with the central portion of a valve cas ing I2 arranged within the chamber B, and this valve casing is equipped with valves I3 and I4 4 Claims. (Cl. 62129) controlled by operating wheels or handles I5 and I6. The casing I2 has communicating therewith the lower ends of pipes I! and IS, the flow of fluid through which is controlled by valves I3 and I4.

The pipes I1I 8 extend upwardly in the cham bers A and B and are connected at their upper ends to headers I9 and 20. These headers are disposed preferably in horizontal position within their respective chambers and above and substantially parallel with lower headers 2| and 22. A coil pipe 23 connects each of the upper headers with the lower headers, and the headers 2I22 are connected with return pipes 2425, which lead back through a common return 26 to condensation receiving tank 8 in the compartment C. From the condensation receiver 8 a pipe 21 leads to a conventional type of heat exchanger 28, a strainer 29 being disposed in the: line for obvious purposes. Extending from the heat exchanger 28 is an upwardly directed pipe 30 leading to a union 3| and through spaced risers 32 controlled by valves 33. Pipes 34 lead from these risers to the lower headers 2I-22 in the chambers A and B respectively.

Each of the pipes 34 is equipped with a conventional expansion valve 36, and the ends of the pipes 34 constitute nozzles 36 extending into the adjacent ends of the coils 23, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The valve casing I2 has connected with the lower side thereof return lines 31 which connect with the heat exchanger 28 and then by a pipe 38 to the compressor 1.

The behavior of the apparatus as described will depend upon the direction of flow of refrigerant gas passing through the tubes 23, the directional flow being controlled by the positions of valves I3--I4. In using the apparatus as a condenser, the course of the hot compressed vapor refrigerant will be as shown in chamber A wherein coil 23 is used as a condenser. The hot compressed vapor refrigerant passes from the discharge side of the compressor and through the valve I2 into pipe I! and into upper header I9, from whence it takes a downward course through the coil 23 and is condensed and accumulated in header 2| and returns by by-pass tube 24, through riser 32 to pipe 25 to the receiver tank. In this process, the heat from the hot compressed refrigerant is transferred to the condenser apparatus, and a forced draft of air caused by fan 40 at the upper end of chamber A draws air through the chamber A and delivers it in a conditioned state through the discharge opening I0 at the upper end of the chamber.

When the coil 23 is adapted to serve as an of the tubes of the bank 23.

evaporator, the refrigerant under pressure will pass through the riser 32 and into pipe 34 as shown in chamber B, from whence it passes through expansion valve 36 and through the nozzles 36 and into the lower ends of the coil members 23. and the coil 23 in chamber Ain this instanceis used as an'evaporator instead of "as-a condenser as previously described. These nozzles 36' carry the refrigerant beyond the header 2|, thus eliminating the possibility of the re' frigerant by-passing any of tlie 'tubes 231- and causes an even distribution iiito and through' all'f The refrigerated gas is evaporated in its travel throughpthe=tubes--- 23 causing a chilling effect on the evaporator; apparatus, and it then passes into the upper header 2B and on into tube f-Tftdb'ereturned through the valve I3, through pipe 37, .heatexchanger 28 and to the suction side of the compressorthrough pipe 38. A. forceddraft-oflair createdilby 'fanfiflin such case-in. the upper. part ofQChaJmber A causes an entering through'the. loweropeningjfl. to' pass over and'around'tl-ie'. coils 23,, beingbhilled in" this. course before being} discliargedi through. the opening, Ill-, as will. be understood; l 'Erom.lthe foregoing, it is apparent that by the construction and-arrangement ofthe' coils above describedwand. in the. associationinithe manner. set forth. witha conventional: onstandardvaporating: apparatus, thelapparatus may. carry out theifunctionsfofa condenser or an evaporator, .or. both alternately by ineireinanipulation. of -the valves to bring about the desired or required direction-of' flow of the liquid through thepi'pes. we claim z. 1l.In=-apparatus of. the character describeda combination evaporator and= condenser-unit comprising an upper and azlower header, a coil; con? necting said? headers; a conduit incommunication' withsaid upper header andserving as a feeding linewhen thennit is" operated as acondenser and as a return--linewhen 'theunit is operated asan evaporator, :a' return lineconnested to (said lower "header for returning liquid when: the unit servesa'sa condenser, a -feed line having an expansion valve-- therein extending through said lower-header and into**said-'coil-to an upper end and a lower end, an upper header in communication with said upper end of said coil, a lower header in communication with said lower header-and extending into: saidilower end of said coil.

3. In a combination refrigerating-heating apparatus of the character described, a coil having an upper end and alower end, an upper header serve asan. inlettothe coil whenthecoil serves irrcommunicati'on with said upper end of said coil, -a=lower header in communication with said lower. endrofsaid: coil, separate conduits connected respectively to said upper and lower headers, a tubular nozzle extending through said lowerheadei"andextending centrally within and coaxiall-y of said lower end of said coil.

4. In reversible refrigeration apparatus for heating and cooling, a heat exchangeradapted to function either as a condenser-or asanevapoe,

rator. ofthe dry expansion type andcomprising a plurality of refrigerant passages. extending froman upper level to a lower level,.means;-for. supplying vaporous refrigerant. to the passages adjacent the upper level, when the. heat ,ex: changer is operated as a condenser, means,adja.=

cent said lower level-for disohargingvaporous and liquid refrigerant, the last mentionedmeans including a header in communicationwith a line serving as a discharge line when the exchanger serves as .a condenser, and) a. conduitv extending through said hea'derandinto thelowermost end of' said. refrigerant passages, said last mentioned conduit being of smaller diameter than saidjrer frigerant passages, and serving as. mama: when the exchanger serves as an evaporator, whereby the liquid admitted by the several ,connectionslto, the refrigerant passages '-is maintained separated.

DON WIRANSDELLL RICHARD TL RANSDELIL,

REFERENCES oI'rEDJ The following references 4 are 'or record irr the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date:

2,096,075 Tull Oct=.19.;;*1937 2,146,796 Dasher Feb. 14,1939

2,148,41'5' Labberton- .Febi: 21%;, 1939- 

